LISTENING 2 MADONNA: Spanish Eyes

Part two of our Madonna trilogy

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When Madonna released her first single "Everybody" in 1983, few realized it would launch a four-decade exploration of global sounds that would help reshape pop music. In Part Two of our Madonna trilogy, producer Reanna Cruz reveals how the Queen of Pop's journey from New York dance clubs to Brazilian beaches created new possibilities for cross-cultural exchange in popular music. Though Madonna is a white woman from the Midwest, her discography has been influenced by countless cultures, and in the process, she created space in the mainstream for artists from these cultures to follow in her footsteps - even as questions of appropriation versus appreciation have followed her every step.

From Latin Freestyle to Global Superstar

Madonna's sonic evolution began in New York's Latin dance scene, where she was immersed in the sounds that would shape her career. Working with renowned Puerto Rican producer Jellybean Benitez (who she met during the making of her debut album), she absorbed the emerging Latin Freestyle sound: a post-disco genre built on syncopated rhythms and layered synthesizers. Even "Everybody," with its seemingly straightforward dance-pop production, carries Latin Freestyle's musical signatures: percussive slap bass, syncopated high synthesizers, and a bouncing drum groove that defies the typical "four-on-the-floor" dance pattern. This connection becomes clear when comparing it to Shannon's "Let The Music Play" from the same year; both share the same squelchy synthesizers and layered, syncopated drum machines that defined the DIY aesthetic of post-disco dance music. As comedian John Leguizamo would later joke to "rapturous applause," Madonna essentially "stole Latin freestyle." Yet Madonna has maintained that these sounds were simply part of her community, constantly "blaring out of everybody's radio on the street" during her New York years.

The Latin Connection Deepens

By the late 1980s, Madonna was openly incorporating Latin sounds and themes into mainstream pop, though her approach sometimes veered into exoticization. "La Isla Bonita" marked a turning point, weaving together multiple Latin musical elements: congas providing percussion, castanets adding texture, Spanish guitar offering harmonic foundation, and most importantly, a bass line following the distinctive tresillo rhythm. Even Madonna's vocals adapt to the style – her hushed delivery in the verses mirrors Latin pop vocal approaches, while the melody follows the tresillo pattern in key phrases. Her songwriting process could be painfully naive (she reportedly called "an Hispanic housekeeper" for translation help), and lyrics about "siestas" and misplaced references to samba reveal a tourist's understanding of Latin culture. Despite this, the song's impact was undeniable. It helped pave the way for the Latin pop boom that would follow in the 1990s, and its influence can still be heard in tracks like Lady Gaga's "Alejandro."

Voguing: Underground to Mainstream

Perhaps Madonna's most significant cultural exchange came with 1990's "Vogue," though she wasn't the first to bring ballroom culture to the mainstream. A year earlier, former Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren had released "Deep in Vogue" with actual ballroom stars like Willie Ninja. But Madonna's version, while controversial in its own right, helped take house music, which wasborn from LGBTQ Black and brown communities, to a global audience. The production incorporates signature elements like the orchestral string sounds popularized by Derrick May's "Strings of Life" (1987). While debates about appropriation versus appreciation have surrounded the song for decades, its cultural impact is undeniable. Today, "Vogue" remains deeply influential, with artists like Beyoncé paying direct homage while updating its famous bridge to celebrate Black musical icons.

The Evolution Continues

Madonna's recent work shows a continuing engagement with global sounds, though with perhaps more cultural sensitivity than her earlier efforts. Her 2019 collaboration with Brazilian superstar Anitta, "Faz Gostoso," showcases this evolution. Rather than simply borrowing sounds, Madonna covers an existing Portuguese hit by Blaya while working directly with one of Brazil's biggest stars. The track adopts Brazilian funk's distinctive rhythm pattern (boom boom cha cha boom cha cha cha) - markedly different from American funk or reggaeton's tresillo pattern. This musical evolution mirrors broader changes in pop music, as Brazilian funk beats now appear in global hits like Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's "Bongos."

Building Musical Bridges

Madonna's relationship with global music remains complex - she's both a cultural borrower and an amplifier of sounds that might otherwise remain underground. Her time living in Portugal, which inspired 2019's Madame X album, shows her continuing to absorb and reflect the music around her. The album features collaborations with local artists like the Batucaderas Orchestra, an all-women group from Cape Verde. That her recent Rio beach concert drew 1.6 million fans suggests her musical border-crossing has created genuine connections, even as questions of appropriation persist. Throughout her career, Madonna has pushed against musical borderlines, just as she pushed against gender expectations, creating new possibilities for cross-cultural exchange in pop music, for better or worse.

Join us Friday for our final installment exploring Madonna's complex relationship with spirituality – the last piece of her musical holy trinity.

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